At this seaweed workshop, we begin with a trip to the beach at one of the lowest tides of the season to see a diversity of seaweeds growing in their natural environment. Next, there will be a demonstration of how to prepare some seaweed we harvested in the morning into a yummy snack. In the afternoon, there will be two presentations on seaweeds, their healing and nutritional properties, practical ways of incorporating them into one's lifestyle and more. Seaweed tea and and a variety of seaweed snacks are offered during the presentations and a seaweed hand bath is experienced during a break.

This Joint Experience on offer from Bottom Dwellers Freediving and Dakini Tidal Wilds is a 2 Day Course which instructs and explores the basics of sustainable and ethical hand harvesting on our coast while getting you snorkelling safely and comfortably in our local waters.

Learn the fundamental skill sets of snorkelling and hand harvesting in the classroom, then take this knowledge and apply it out in the elements on our beautiful coast-line in guided workshops and sessions with Chris Adair of Bottom Dwellers and Amanda Swinimer of Dakini Tidal Wilds.

Leading an intertidal workshop in the morning of the second day Amanda will share her knowledge on seaweeds and kelps as we explore the intertidal zone during the selected low tide for this course. After the intertidal session we will return to Amanda’s hanging room with sea-weeds and kelps to learn the basics of hanging your own harvest.

Following a lunch break we will then head out into the confined-waters of the French Beach area where you’ll take the knowledge learnt in the classroom and apply it in an in-water setting where you’ll hone in the fundamentals of Snorkelling and Hand Harvesting while within the first 15’ of the surface with Chris Adair from Bottom Dwellers Freediving.

At this seaweed workshop, we begin with a trip to the beach at one of the lowest tides of the season to see a diversity of seaweeds growing in their natural environment. Next, there will be a demonstration of how to prepare some seaweed we harvested in the morning into a yummy snack. In the afternoon, there will be two presentations on seaweeds, their healing and nutritional properties, practical ways of incorporating them into one's lifestyle and more. Seaweed tea and and a variety of seaweed snacks are offered during the presentations and a seaweed hand bath is experienced during a break.

At this seaweed workshop, we begin with a trip to the beach at one of the lowest tides of the season to see a diversity of seaweeds growing in their natural environment. Next, there will be a demonstration of how to prepare some seaweed we harvested in the morning into a yummy snack. In the afternoon, there will be two presentations on seaweeds, their healing and nutritional properties, practical ways of incorporating them into one's lifestyle and more. Seaweed tea and and a variety of seaweed snacks are offered during the presentations and a seaweed hand bath is experienced during a break.

At this seaweed workshop, we begin with a trip to the beach at one of the lowest tides of the season to see a diversity of seaweeds growing in their natural environment. Next, there will be a demonstration of how to prepare some seaweed we harvested in the morning into a yummy snack. In the afternoon, there will be two presentations on seaweeds, their healing and nutritional properties, practical ways of incorporating them into one's lifestyle and more. Seaweed tea and and a variety of seaweed snacks are offered during the presentations and a seaweed hand bath is experienced during a break.

At this seaweed workshop, we begin with a trip to the beach at one of the lowest tides of the season to see a diversity of seaweeds growing in their natural environment. Next, there will be a demonstration of how to prepare some seaweed we harvested in the morning into a yummy snack. In the afternoon, there will be two presentations on seaweeds, their healing and nutritional properties, practical ways of incorporating them into one's lifestyle and more. Seaweed tea and and a variety of seaweed snacks are offered during the presentations and a seaweed hand bath is experienced during a break.

DESCRIPTION

Sunday, June 11th at Whiffen Spit Park in Sooke - Amanda Swinimer, marine biologist and seaweed harvester for Dakini Tidal Wilds and Chef Oliver Kienast from Wild Mountain Food & Drink and member of the Slow Food Chef’s Alliance, will lead a wild foods foray along the coast, identifying seaweeds and their culinary uses.

This past summer I had a blast hanging out with two chefs and buddies who were RV'ing across Canada in search of the most unique and high quality ingredients which they could work their magic with. So I took them out with me harvesting seaweed! Catch 'Chuck & Danny's Road Trip' March 10th at 6pm and 9pm nationwide on The Food Network. This episode is part of a 6 part series airing on the Food Network Fridays at 6pm and 9pm PST/EST beginning March 3. The episode that I will appear on is MARCH 10th.

Please note that the workshop includes a trip to the beach at low tide and working hands-on with our wild seaweeds.

Course Description:Spend a day at the beach getting to know our local seaweeds, their healing and nutritional properties and practical ways to integrate them into a healthy lifestyle. Learn about the many uses of seaweeds as topical therapeutics, in personal healthcare, and in preventing chronic illnesses. Get your hands wet and discover how to identify local seaweeds, their ecological benefits and how you can protect this incredible and important natural resource.

Christine Hopkins is a Registered Aromatherapist – Thalassotherapist (seaweeds) with over 15 years in an Integrated Practice, incorporating Essential Oil Therapy and Thalasso & Balneotherapy for preventative health care and total body and skin care. She has taught for many years in the field of Complementary Care, focusing on the phenomenal healing properties of essential oils in combination with extraordinary nutritional and therapeutic properties of our West Coast seaweeds.

Amanda Swinimer’s deep love of the ocean and the rainforest brought her to the west coast of Vancouver Island where she started her own business, Dakini Tidal Wilds, in 2003. For 12 years, Amanda has been sustainably harvesting, by hand, edible seaweeds, wild herbs and crafting products from these wild gifts. She has taught at UVic, Bamfield Marine Science Center, public schools and through private venues. She holds a BSc degree in Marine Biology, minor in Oceanography from Dalhousie University.

Course Description:Spend an evening getting to know our local seaweeds, their healing and nutritional properties and the many ways you can integrate them into a healthy lifestyle. Learn to use seaweeds in personal healthcare, as topical therapies, as well as in preventing chronic illnesses. Discover how to identify local seaweeds, their ecological benefits and how to protect this rich and important resource.

Christine Hopkins is a Registered Aromatherapist – Thalassotherapist (seaweeds) with over 15 years in an Integrated Practice, incorporating Essential Oil Therapy and Thalasso & Balneotherapy for preventative health care and total body and skin care. She has taught for many years in the field of Complementary Care, focusing on the phenomenal healing properties of essential oils in combination with extraordinary nutritional and therapeutic properties of our West Coast seaweeds.

Amanda Swinimer’s deep love of the ocean and the rainforest brought her to the west coast of Vancouver Island where she started her own business, Dakini Tidal Wilds, in 2003. For 12 years, Amanda has been sustainably harvesting, by hand, edible seaweeds, wild herbs and crafting products from these wild gifts. She has taught at UVic, Bamfield Marine Science Center, public schools and through private venues. She holds a BSc degree in Marine Biology, minor in Oceanography from Dalhousie University.